Tuesday Rundown: A Community Driven Fight Against Illegal Housing Practices in Oakland

North Dithridge street in North Oakland has a combination of home owners and tenants, young and old.

Credit Johanna/AboutMyTrip / Flickr

These topics air Tuesday August 12, 2014 at noon and 8pm on 90.5 WESA. Join the conversation LIVE between 12pm & 1 pm weekdays at 412-246-2002.

Oakwatch: Improving Quality of Life Through Code Enforcement

In the last few decades the neighborhood of Oakland has seen a major shift from residential to tenant based housing dominated by college students. Oakwatch was formed by the Oakland Planning and Development Corporation in order to tackle the many code violations and disturbances that have brought down the quality of life and make it difficult to attract new residents to the neighborhood. Each month, Oakwatch brings residents together with elected officials, building inspectors, public health professionals and police to address Oakland’s biggest problem properties. Oakwatch Co-chair Hanson Kappelman talks about the community driven way they're dealing with neighborhood offenders.

Jesse Steinfeld

West Aliquippa native Jesse Steinfeld was the first surgeon general in the Nixon Administration and spoke out against cigarette smoking, bringing new attention to the risks it posed to women and to people exposed to secondhand smoke. He died last week at age 87. We'll talk about his legacy with Stanton Glantz who studies the health effects of secondhand smoke at Stanford University.

WESA Celebrates - Saleem Ghubril

This week WESA Celebrates profiles Saleem Ghurbil who has been the driving force behind the Pittsburgh Promise. Ghubril has been working tirelessly since its inception to make sure every Pittsburgh city student has a shot at higher education.

Business of Child Care

The cost of child care has a significant impact on parents from all income ranges. Last year the New York Times reported the day care costs for middle-class New Yorkers can easily equal from $25,000 to $30,000 per child. Contributor Rebecca Harris looks at the business of child care.

To leave a question or comment before or after the show dial 412-256-8783. More Essential Pittsburgh segments can be heard here.